Redemption
by J.vanGreven
Summary: Fortuna is a place where many secrets lie hidden. Few of them are good, most hold terrible truths. But Sparda's descendant, stops at nothing on his pursuit for more power. And this time it's not only the demons which strive for his life. (I just reworked the first chapter, will do the same with the second before finally publishing the third.)
1. Chapter 1

_Yeah, I got the "Vergil's Girl"-Fever, too.  
Please don't run away!  
After reading one or two stories, I noticed something. I simply can't picture this proud and cold man as a caring lover, who is capable of developing romantic feelings or even love for an ordinary human being. Especially not when I think of the conceited young Vergil, to whom all the suffering through Mundus has not happened yet. I don't want to imply that I didn't like the interpretations I read. But, would I like to share my own version with you here.  
__Please bear in mind that I will only stick loosely to the plot of DMC4. I won't go totally crazy, I promise. But I want to try something a bit different._

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**Chapter One: Fortuna**  
_You should fear me._

Fortuna was a strange place. On his journey there, he had heard many rumors. Although he had paid no attention to most of them and erased them from his memory almost immediately, there were a few who had piqued his interest and motivated him to embark on a long journey to this distant place.

Now he stood there, surrounded by ancient buildings, magnificent statues and did not know where to begin. The city was bigger and more labyrinthine than he had imagined. It was also surprisingly modern for a city that is said to have existed for ages. Colorful neon lights and posters defaced the white walls of the houses and shops with their bright colors. The cars at the roadside seemed out of place, as did the power lines that hovered above the streets and supplied the buildings with electricity. The many inhabitants of the city, who followed their everyday life on the streets, completed the strange picture. All of them hid their faces under a white religious bonnet. Vergil had already heard that Fortuna was ruled and controlled by its church. Nevertheless, he had not expected that this "Order of the Sword" would indeed have every single one of these people under its control. While Vergil wandered down the streets and managed to take a view glances at some shop's interior, he notices that the people took their hoods down when they were inside a building.

Many of the locals either backed away from him or switched to the other side of the street when they saw him. Vergil was already accustomed to reactions like this. People either stared curiously or tried to avoid him. For this reason, he had gotten used to hiding his peculiar appearance. The old cape he wore might not have made him more inconspicuous, but he liked it better when people thought he was a penniless stranger. Moreover, he did not know how much these people here actually knew about this deity they worshiped.  
Vergil could only hope that these religious sheep would not cause him any problems.

Although his body was exhausted from the hardships of his journey, he did not think of wasting his time with sleep. Instead, he began to look around the city. Once he had left the densely build residential district behind, the city seemed even more impressive. The white facades were decorated with elaborately designed columns. The streets became wider and cleaner, and there were banners with the emblem of the order everywhere, which made it impossible to forget who was ruling this city.  
But what attracted Vergil's interest was the gigantic monolithic structure that towered over Fortuna like a bad omen. The gate to hell. More than 2000 years ago it was sealed by Sparda.

Every time he thought of this man, he became painfully aware of how little he knew about him. Although they shared the same blood, and he had always looked up to him, he had never really known his father. This was one of the reasons why he had found his way to Fortuna. He wanted to learn more about the demon who fought against his own kind and protected mankind for so many years. Perhaps this was the place where he would finally find out who and what had been capable of killing the legendary Dark Knight Sparda.

But where should he begin his search? Fortuna's inhabitants were certainly no help to him, and before he threw himself head over heels into problems, as his impatient brother would certainly have done, he decided to remain as inconspicuous as possible for the time being. Vergil was not looking for adventures what he desired was knowledge.  
He didn't have to search long until he found the place he had been looking for. The center of the city was by no means as crooked and lively as the residential zone. Besides, the library was such a large and impressive building that only a blind man could have overlooked it. Instead of columns two stone knights with drawn swords supported the white canopy. Vergil tilted his head back and admired all that extravagance for a moment. The rulers had a penchant for pomposity.

"You're welcome to enter, sir." Suddenly, a friendly voice made him lower his gaze. A young woman sat on a bench at the feet of the impressive statues and looked at him with a smile. She wore a red dress and the same religious bonnet as the other residents. Long black curls hung out under the hood, and he could hardly make out her face. In her lap, she held a book, and her hands blocked his view of the cover. When he didn't answer and looked down at her only in silence, she eventually stood up and took a step towards him. Vergil was amazed that this woman approached him without hesitation and did not avoid him like everyone else.  
"You are not from here. What brings a stranger to Fortuna?"

"The search for knowledge."  
From the shadow of the hood, her smile widened. Pleased with his answer, she continued: "Then you are in the right place. Fortuna doesn't have much to offer, but we cherish knowledge like a treasure." She made an inviting gesture towards the wing door, which led into the library.  
He briefly considered whether he should accept her offer or if it might be a trap. The many years he had to defend himself against demons and their insidious tricks, slowly seemed to leave their mark on his behavior. He was skeptical about everyone he met and treated every stranger as a threat. But the woman seemed harmless to him. Besides, he had sought out this place himself, and it would be a waste of time to leave now. With an approving nod, he walked past her and pushed the doors open.

He was overwhelmed by the sight he faced as he entered the library. It was in no way as he had imagined it. In front of him stretched a huge round hall, as splendid as the front side of this building. Hundreds, if not thousands, of books, had been stuffed over two floors into even the smallest niche. The walls seemed to consist of shelves carved from the white stone Vergil had repeatedly encountered in Fortuna. The ceiling was decorated with paintings of Sparda's legends and from the middle hung a magnificent chandelier on a chain so long that it hovered only a few meters above their heads and could hardly illuminate the second floor.

"I didn't expect anything like that," he couldn't help admitting, and slowly walked into the middle of the proud library. He noticed steps beside him and looked down on the woman who passed him. She had pushed her hood back, and her long black curls fell over her shoulders. When she turned to him, the first thing he noticed was her amber eyes, which smiled friendly at him.  
"What kind of knowledge are you looking for, sir?"

She seemed to have noticed how impressed Vergil was by this place because she giggled quietly after asking her question. He remained silent and went on instead. Slowly and attentively, he began to wander the shelves and inspect the books. He stroked his fingers along the wooden plates embedded in the white stone walls, which were already bent under the sheer weight of these books. From time to time he wiped some dust from the book spines to read the titles or took one out to flip through it. It wasn't long before he noticed the woman next to him again. He paused and let the book in his hand snap shut. Snorting, he looked at her and waited for her to speak.  
"If you tell me what you are looking for, I can certainly help you. I work here."

Skeptically, he pulled up an eyebrow. She looked very young, even more so than he himself was. She interpreted his gaze correctly and quickly added: "Well, I'm just an apprentice. But I know this place really well. Besides, the master is not here at the moment."

She wasn't wrong he had to admit that to himself. To wander around here without a plan would indeed be unwise. Vergil put the book back in its place on the shelf and turned to the young woman.  
With a quick movement of his hand, he pushed his hood back and revealed his face. He immediately drove his fingers through his white hair to wipe some annoying strands from his forehead. Then he looked down on the woman in red again. He didn't have to wait long for her reaction. With big eyes and an open mouth, she stared at him. Although he didn't like to be stared at, he wanted to use her to test whether the people in Fortuna recognized a descendant of Sparda when he stood in front of them. Her eyes wandered curiously over his face and finally stopped at his hair. Then she cleared her throat in embarrassment and mumbled an apology.

No, this woman didn't know what he was.

He ignored the reddish shimmer on her face and told her what he was looking for: "I am interested in the story of Fortuna and in ...", Vergil pointed to the ceiling, to the painting depicting the Dark Knight. Obviously glad that he ignored her reaction, she followed his index finger and frowned thoughtfully: "We have countless books on these subjects. Are you looking for something specific?"

"I'll know once I find it."

She looked at him curiously and seemed to wait for him to explain his comment to her, but he just folded his arms in front of his chest. Finally, she gave up and took a step back from him: "All right. Why don't you take a seat? There's a fireplace and some armchairs over there. I'll bring you what you need." Without waiting for his answer, she hurried off. He watched her briefly as she roared through the shelves with her sleeves rolled up and purposefully picked out individual books. Then he went to the fireplace the young woman had talked about, which was a little isolated, hidden behind crammed wooden shelves. He took off his old cape and let himself sink into one of the armchairs. He put his head in his hand while he waited, looking into the twitching flames. Yes, he liked this corner, the huge shelves shielded most of the bright light the chandelier threw into the room. Vergil enjoyed the moment of rest before the woman in her red dress came around the corner again. Groaning, she balanced a large pile of books on her arms in his direction. Relieved to finally get rid of the ballast, she dropped the load on the small table next to Vergil.

"I hope that's enough for now," she laughed quietly and picked up a few books that had fallen off. He nodded and immediately grabbed the very top one and began to leaf through it. Concentrating on the written word turned out to be difficult because she was still standing next to him. He could practically feel her eyes lying on him. That she stared at him so openly was irritating. He knew about his effect on the female sex. Nevertheless, he was not a circus attraction.  
"What is it?", he murmured disgruntled, without looking up.

She flinched in shock, her cheeks turned pink, and suddenly she was in a hurry to disappear from his field of vision. Vergil just shook his head. Women. He had never been particularly interested in them. They were weak, emotional, and so easy to see through. Uninteresting, to say the least. There were also more important things for him to strive for. He shook off these unnecessary thoughts, and again immersed himself in the book he held in his hands. This time the woman in red did nothing to disturb him, so he had enough time to devote to his research.

Unfortunately, these old papers didn't reveal much new information.  
His father seemed to have lived here once. Ages ago, when this town was not yet more than a small village. According to the texts, Sparda had decided to live in this remote place to guard the gate to hell. Over the years, under Sparda's watchful eye, Fortuna grew into a magnificent city. The people here looked up to their savior. First, they worshipped him as a hero, then as a king, and finally, they lifted him onto a divine pedestal. Soon afterward, the dark knight disappeared from Fortuna. The reasons for the sudden disappearance of their demonic god were numerous and one more absurd than the other. Vergil did not concern himself with them and skimmed over the interpretations only briefly and without much interest.

How ridiculous. Such an incredible collection of books and this stupid woman brought him such garbage. Next time he would look for the writings he needed himself. But for now, it was time to fill his lungs with some fresh air. He stood up and stretched out. Every single bone in his body cracked out of gratitude. He had no idea how long he had been sitting here, but judging by his stiff neck, a few hours.

With his old cape under his arm, he made his way to the exit. Just as he was thinking about the last time he had slept to give his body and mind a chance to actually recover, something grabbed his sleeve.

"You're leaving already? You haven't even told me your name yet", the voice of the well-known woman reached his ear.  
He did not answer her question and stared only at her hand, which was holding on to his coat. This woman was downright too clingy. Slowly she started getting on his nerves. Was she so naive that she didn't notice that he wasn't interested in pointless conversations? His hands clenched to fists, and an angry growl crept out of his throat. As expected, she was frightened and pressed her book protectively to her chest.  
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to upset you," she stammered, and lowered her head apologetic, "I just wanted to-", her words got stuck as Vergil turned around and looked down on her with his cold blue eyes. Again, her cheeks glowed up, and she chewed nervously on her lower lip.

What a naive and simple woman. Vergil was already playing with the idea of going his way and just leaving her there, but when he could take a look at the book she was holding in her arms, he changed his mind. This woman seemed to find him appealing, so it was time to teach her a lesson. With her shoulders tightened and intimidated like a young deer, she stumbled backward as he approached her with a serious expression. Now that he was so close to her, he noticed how slim and dainty she was. She was more a girl than a woman.

She gasped for air in shock as her back bumped against one of the marble pillars. Unimpressed by her reaction to him, he reached for the book with the blue leather wrapper, which she pressed against herself like a shield. Her fingers clung around it tighter than expected.  
"Show it to me," he grumbled quietly and pulled it out of her fingers with a jerk. Golden, filigree letters adorned the cover. A snide look at the title was enough for him. "A fairy tale book? How fitting."  
He supported his forearm over her head and leaned down towards her: "Do you think I'm like that? A handsome prince? Or are you just bored and craving for some excitement? Something dangerous?"  
She held her breath as Vergil pressed the book back into her arms. He didn't touch her, but his hand remained on the leather cover while he watched her. Like a fish, she moved her lips and tried to answer him, but she couldn't get more than a quiet stammer out.

"Get your filthy hands off her now!", an angry female voice made Vergil raise and turn his head. He looked at a polished sword tip pointing directly at his face. He tilted his head a little, and his eyes wandered along the blade. A woman's narrow, long fingers clasped the handle of the sword and held it firmly in position. Her face was also covered, and she wore the white uniform of the soldiers Vergil had already come across in town.

"Get away from her now!" Giving her command more force, she came one step closer. Vergil had to step aside when the weapon came dangerously close to his face. But this angry woman didn't let go and pushed him further back with her sword raised until the two had switched places. Vergil stood with his back to the exit while she straightened herself up to protect the young woman, who immediately hid behind her. With a fleeting movement of her hand, she pulled her hood down. Vergil's lips turned into a crooked grin as two amber eyes looked at him in mistrust.

So, they were siblings? Interesting. The similarity could not be overlooked. They had the same golden eyes, a pale complexion and black hair. While the scared woman was still hiding behind her, obviously older, sister and curiously peered over her shoulder, Vergil now looked into the watchful eyes of a warrior with chin-long hair and a fine scar on her right cheek. She clearly saw him as a threat and, with her confident posture, left no doubt that she would attack him on the spot if he came even one step closer.

"Parvati, are you all right? Did he touch you?" Her voice was clearer and more feminine than Vergil had expected. "I'm fine.", sounded the voice of the younger one, barely audible. The shoulders of the warrior relaxed visibly. Then she addressed him again in a darker and commanding tone: "Who are you and what do you want here in Fortuna? We don't think much of strangers here, so I would suggest that you crawl back into the hole from which you came."

Vergil just crossed his arms in front of his chest: "My name and my intentions are none of your business, woman." Her gaze became even darker, and the hostile look on her face let his fingers tingle. This female had irritated him. Vergil had to suppress the impulse to summon Yamato and told himself to calm down. She was brave, but she had no idea who she was dealing with. To his surprise, he wanted her to attack him. But that thought was childish and unwise. The long journey and the lack of relaxation seemed to get under his skin this was the only explanation he had. It was time he disappeared from here before he killed someone and risked his entire mission. He had more important things to do than to deal with these humans. He was not allowed to forget why he had traveled to this city in the first place.

"Kali. He really didn't hurt me", the soft voice of the little sister interrupted the tense moment. She put one hand on the sword arm of the uniformed woman. Which only reluctantly let her sword sink. But she kept it in her hand and did not let him out of her sight for a second. Vergil observed the siblings briefly. When the younger one finally smiled apologetically at him, he turned around and left. Kali and Parvati, some odd names.

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_Kali came to my mind the first time when I wrote the little one-shot "Black Waltz". Since then the uniformed woman with the angry expression never left my mind.  
Parvati came into being very naturally when I thought of the lady in red and the interested look, she was giving our ice prince. ;)  
I still have a lot planned for the sisters._


	2. Chapter 2

_Finally, the second chapter is finished._

_I approached the whole thing without a big plan and this tactic was a pain in the ass and hella fun at the same time. I only have a rough construct in my head for the whole Story, which is not worked out in any way and still has many gaps and holes. And I am sure that I already made and will make mistakes. So please just let me know if it gets a little messy in the future. I'm trying to improve myself and the great feedback I receive here on this site for my chaotic works really helps me._

_Thanks for that._

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**Chapter Two: Holy Knight**

_She wasn't looking for a knight, she was looking for a sword._

A soft murmur went through the crowd that filled the benches in Fortuna's Cathedral. Each one of them wore the white and religious bonnet of the Order. But while the locals used to hide their faces, out on the streets, they had now pushed their hoods back. It was strange to suddenly see so many different faces and to recognize the inhabitants of Fortuna as individuals, since Vergil had known these people only as a nameless mass until now. While he hid in the shadows to attract as little attention as possible, he watched his surroundings closely. The people talked quietly, among them were children who were sitting with their parents. Right at the front, in the first row, sat the young woman from the library. Again, she wore a flashy red dress that clearly set her apart from the crowd. She sat all alone on the bench and it almost seemed as if the other citizens were avoiding her. The podium in the middle was brightly lit, but there was no one on it yet. Like most public buildings and the inner city, this cathedral was richly decorated. The most impressive sight in here was the proud statue of the Dark Knight, which trumped behind the podium and towered over everything with its incredible size. In fact, the statue was so big that its horns almost touched the ceiling.

But as big and impressive as this thing was, it was nothing but pure fantasy. The people here really had no idea what the demon they worshiped really looked like. This image was ridiculous, it showed nothing of Spardas strength or his impressive appearance.

Vergil had seen his father only once in his true form, but this image had been engraved in his mind. At that time, as a little child, he had been afraid of the dark knight. Sparda had been a serious and stoic man. He was reserved and expressed his feelings and affection through deeds and not words. Later, when the brothers were barely old enough to hold a sword in their hands, he trained them and taught them to defend themselves against the creatures that wanted to harm their family. Out of Vergil's fear, became admiration. His father was strong, quick and agile. He seemed invincible ...

...and then he disappeared and soon afterwards everything around them went up in flames.

Vergil was so lost in thought that he had not noticed how a woman entered the podium. The people had put their hoods back on and it had become so quiet that you could hear the crackling fire of the candelabra hanging from the ceiling.

The woman had put both hands protectively on her belly, which was clearly visible under the white dress. She was the only one who hadn't put her bonnet back on. Her chestnut brown hair was adorned with a golden diadem. Vergil could not see her face from a distance, only her radiant smile. The pregnant woman hinted at a bow, as far as her condition would allow it.

Then she breathed deeply and began to sing.

Her voice was pleasant and almost soothing. The operatic melody seemed to originate from a tape because he couldn't spot any musicians. The surrounding faithful listened devoutly to the song, many had raised their hands in prayer or sang along in hushed tones.

_The light in your eyes an angel up high,  
__Fighting to ease the shadow side.  
__Hearts will grow though having to bend,  
__Leaving behind all things in the end._

What kind of person was his father to make these people so dependent on his legend?

The last notes of the song had hardly faded away when one of the many doors opened and a handful of armed warriors entered the hall. These were Fortuna's holy knights. He had heard of them but had hardly met any of them in the city so far. Between them walked a man dressed in a magnificent robe decorated with all kinds of embroidery. His face was marked by age and his beard already showed the first white spots. This man had to be the head of the Order, his Holiness Sanctus, of whom Vergil had heard before his arrival. According to rumors, Fortuna owed it mainly to him that this city had been able to survive so independently in recent years and had even increased in wealth.

Vergil's gaze glided from the old man to his two bodyguards, who, with tight shoulders and a serious look, stood very close to him, while the low-ranking knights spread out throughout the room. His gaze remained on the only female knight standing to Sanctus' right, a hand loosely laid on her sword handle. Her chin-length black hair and golden eyes made him even more attentive.

Kali.  
He hadn't expected to see her again so soon.

A grin crept on his lips. How very interesting. This bold woman, who had threatened him in the library, was therefore not only a simple warrior, she was a high-ranking knight. This meant she certainly was aware of things others didn't know. Could he take advantage of that?

While the old man preached his sermon, Vergil didn't listen properly anymore. He was too busy watching the woman and turning over his possibilities in the back of his head.  
She was alert and scanned the room with her eyes. Then her head turned so purposefully in his direction that Vergil raised his eyebrows in amazement and took another step into the shadow. Too late. She seemed to have recognized him already, for her hand clasped her sword grip and her face darkened. Her comrade who stood next to her noticed her reaction. Curiously the knight followed her gaze. But apparently couldn't see anything, because after a moment he just shrugged his shoulders and looked away. This woman had good eyes and seemed brave.

Although it would certainly have been wiser just to disappear before he attracted too much attention, he couldn't help but step out of the shadows and wait for her reaction with crossed arms. Satisfied, he watched her sword arm tighten, and she took a small step closer to the Leader of the Church. Ready to protect this old man.  
So, she thought he was dangerous? Clever woman.

Muffled screams interrupted the ceremony and the massive doors to the main entrance were kicked open. Panicked, two guards stumbled in, their uniforms covered in blood, and they had drawn their swords.  
"Demons! Demons in the courtyard!"

These few words were enough to spread panic among the people. There was chaos as everyone tried to run as far away from the door as possible. The children began to cry, and everyone shouted wildly.  
Annoyed, Vergil clicked his tongue and spread the fingers of his right hand to summon Yamato. His faithful sword vibrated in his hand as it sensed the presence of the demons the guards spoke of.

"Dear citizens! Calm down, now!", Sanctus' dark voice drowned out the turmoil with surprising ease. "Here you are safe. No one here will be harmed. Our holy knights will protect us!" While everything around him broke out in hectic rush and the knights stormed out of the hall with drawn weapons, this old man stood before his faithful sheep and pleaded to their reason. With success, for little by little the fearful cries disappeared.

But this spectacle was not relevant for Vergil. He just saw Kali's dark head of hair disappear behind the doors. He hurried down the stairs and took advantage of the turmoil to pass the men who were about to close the doors, unnoticed. Their astonished cries followed him as he, rushed past them like a blue shadow, hiding in the passage behind one of the many statues.

"Did you see that?"

"Shut up and close the doors before those monsters come in here!"

Thanks to his demonic abilities and Yamato's influence, Vergil could move faster than the human eye could perceive. A talent that had helped him out of unpleasant situations more than once. He waited until the door was finally closed and then made his way out with quick steps.

The fight was already in full swing when he stepped out of the cathedral. The white uniformed warriors fought off the demons, although they were clearly outnumbered. Only five knights faced a dozen of these things. The other guards had apparently stayed in the building to look after the inhabitants.

These demons looked as if a child had tried to make dolls out of old burlap sacks. Only these dolls were equipped with sharp sickle-shaped blades and had the size of a human. They even moved like mannequins because their shapeless limbs lacked any body tension. These wavering and unpredictable movements made them dangerous opponents. Never before had he seen such ridiculous, yet so deadly creatures.

Yamato vibrated excitedly in his hand. It literally cried out to kill those scarecrows. But Vergil stayed in the background and watched. The knights seemed experienced in fighting these demons. They kept their distance so as not to be torn apart by the demons' sharp weapons and made sure not to be encircled by their superior numbers. They all fought with caution and stayed in the group.  
Everyone except the dark-haired woman.  
She fought, far from her comrades, on the other side of the spacious square. Two of these scarecrows had trapped her between them. But the knight seemed relaxed. Her shining sword rested on her shoulder, and she didn't look as if this situation would impress her.

Vergil sneaked carefully along the edge of the courtyard as a silent observer. He didn't want to be discovered by the fighting men or even by the demons. While doing so, he never let the female knight out of his sight.

With surprising agility, she ducked under a sharp sickle that aimed at her head, only to take a step to the right and avoid another attack that would surely have slashed her stomach if the demon had caught her. This gave her the opportunity to free herself from this dilemma. With a leap, she saved herself from the blade that was rushing down on her from above. To avoid falling, she rolled over and was immediately back on her feet in one swift movement. She blew some strands of hair from her face and a sinister grin scurried over her lips as she rammed the tip of her weapon into the ground: "Now it's my turn!"

The blade vibrated and flames shot out of it. When she gave the handle a few powerful turns, the thundering noise of the built-in engine lured more demons in her direction.

Vergil had wondered what a strange mechanism that had been since he met the first armed guard. A combustion engine in a melee weapon, how absurd. But apparently effective.  
With a battle cry Kali stormed towards the swaying demons.

The moment she protected her sister in the library, Vergil knew straightaway that he was facing a warrior. However, this spectacle impressed him.  
With each blow she became faster, the flames from the engine ran over the blade and dripped to the ground, while this woman skillfully exploited the momentum of her sword blows and let herself be swept along by the weight of her own weapon. She no longer avoided the attacks of the scarecrows, she parried them and threw her opponents off balance. Shortly thereafter the first demon fell to the ground. Black mist flowed from the rough seams that held the atrophied and twitching form of this monster together and seeped into the ground. Merely the shell was left behind, and even that slowly dissolved into its components.

" Indeed, impressive for a human," Vergil muttered to himself.  
Not once could the demons land a hit as this aggressive woman swept through their ranks like a beast.  
Vergil pushed the sheath of his Katana through his belt to have both hands free. With a soft scraping sound Vergil freed the Yamato from its cover. He had seen more than enough, and his fingers itched for entertainment.  
For a moment he closed his eyes and held his breath. Little by little the noises around him faded and the beating of his own heart came to the fore. He spread his legs and bent his knees a little to keep his focal point closer to the ground. Like Sparda had taught him and his brother. As he exhaled slowly, he raised his sword with both hands and held it close to his own face. Aiming for a target, he used the tip of his blade as a focus point. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as he tried to ignore the fighting woman and focused only on the demons. The teachings of his father crossed his mind.

_Breathe. Watch your opponent closely and wait for the right moment._

He remained in this position. His heart rate slowed down and took another deep breath.

_Be patient._

For a second, it seemed to him that time would stand still as the wobbly creatures took a formation that was perfect for his attack.

_...and then strike!_

He gritted his teeth and charged forward. Yamato's sharp blade easily penetrated the soft scalp of the first demon, without resistance it glided through and impaled the second one directly behind it. Vergil tore out the sword with a jerk and before his victims touched the ground, he impaled another one who wanted to throw itself at the woman and threw it with a strike of his sword through the air.

He exhaled loudly and shoved his precious sword back into its scabbard. At his feet the dead demons disintegrated into thin air. Kali whirled around and her sword rushed towards him, spitting fire. He could tell from her widened eyes that only now did she realize whom she was facing. Unable to stop her powerful attack, she changed the angle just in time and the sword crashed into the ground beside Vergil's feet.

"Is that your way of thanking me," Vergil remarked mockingly. He didn't get an answer, instead she aimed her weapon at him again. He just pulled his head back a bit: "I'm overcome by a feeling of déjà vu."

"What are you doing here? Did you lure the demons here?" she shouted at him, breathing heavily. Apparently, her fight against these creatures had caused her more trouble than Vergil had thought. He didn't answer her. Why should he?  
She looked at him skeptically, her eyes wandering from his sword to his face. She looked into his eyes as if she was looking for something in them. Finally, she lowered her blade: "Tell me who you are. Otherwise, I'll have you arrested."

It was hard for him not to laugh at this naive woman: "And what makes you think that I would let that happen?" The knight made efforts to lift her sword again to point it at him, but she couldn't finish her movement.

On the other side of the square the knights cheered. The last monster had fallen, and they had emerged victorious without losing even one man from their own ranks. They had been wounded and their uniforms were torn and bloody, but they were still breathing and that seemed to be enough for the knights. A man with a shaved head jogged towards them, his uniform resembling Kali's, with all its embroidery and badges. It must have been her partner who stood beside her in the great hall.

It was time for him to retreat before things became uncomfortable.

"Vergil."

The woman looked up at him in surprise when he told her his name. He turned his back on her and started to move. Her voice let him turn his head. "All right, Vergil. I'll keep an eye on you."

He couldn't hold back a mean grin. Humans were so predictable.

"I certainly hope so."

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_Sorry for the abrupt end of this chapter, but I just couldn't find a better opportunity to make a cut.  
__Thanks for reading. :)_


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